VIII Bomber Command 14

9 October 1942

Official description

Not yet known

Description

Bombers are dispatched to bomb the steel and engineering works of the Compagnie de Fives at Lille, France and the locomotive and freight car works of Ateliers d'Hellemmes at Lille which are the Primary (P) targets. Other targets are Courtrai Airfield, Secondary target (S); Roubaix Airfield, Target of Opportunity (O) and Longuenesse Airfield at St. Omer, Target of Last Resort (L).

Mission details

1.

Description

DIVERSION

Aircraft type

B-17 Flying Fortress

Notes

Diversion for Lille raid.

Units

GroupThe 92nd Group's 327th Bomb Squadron was the only Eighth Air Force squadron to fly YB-40s in combat. YB-40s were B-17s modified to fly as a heavily armed escort for other bombers. They were flown on missions between May and June 1943. Between May 1943...

Mission Statistics

Tonnage dropped

0

Number of aircraft Sent

7

2. COURTRAI (Secondary)

Description

AIRFIELD

Aircraft type

B-17 Flying Fortress

Notes

This is a secondary target for 306th Bomb Group

Units

GroupConstituted as 306th Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 28 Jan 1942. Activated on 1 Mar 1942. Trained for combat with B-17's. Moved to England, Aug-Sep 1942, and assigned to Eighth AF Eighth Air Force in September 1942 Station 111 Thurleigh. During combat,...

Mission Statistics

Tonnage dropped

5.00

Number of aircraft Sent

2

Number of aircraft Effective

2

3. LILLE (Primary)

Description

COMPAGNIE DE FIVES STEEL WORKS

Aircraft type

B-17 Flying Fortress

Notes

The 306th Bomb Group, flying B-17s, flies its first mission. Largest formation despatched to date. Bomber gunner claims are displayed on this event for statistical purposes and represent the bundled total of all formations despatched on VIII BC Mission 14.

Units

GroupActivated 3-February-1942 at Geiger Field, Washington and equipped with B-17s. On 27-May-1942 the ground unit moved to Alamogordo Army Air Field, New Mexico, and the aircraft went to Muroc Army Air Field (now Edwards Air Force Base), California for...

GroupConstituted as 306th Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 28 Jan 1942. Activated on 1 Mar 1942. Trained for combat with B-17's. Moved to England, Aug-Sep 1942, and assigned to Eighth AF Eighth Air Force in September 1942 Station 111 Thurleigh. During combat,...

GroupThe 92nd Group's 327th Bomb Squadron was the only Eighth Air Force squadron to fly YB-40s in combat. YB-40s were B-17s modified to fly as a heavily armed escort for other bombers. They were flown on missions between May and June 1943. Between May 1943...

GroupThe 97th Bomb Group flew the Eighth Air Force's first heavy bomber mission from the UK when they bombed a marshalling yard at Rouen on 17 August 1942. Just a month later though the Group were reassigned to the Twelfth Air Force and left England for the...

Mission Statistics

Tonnage dropped

123.00

Number of aircraft Sent

89

Number of aircraft Effective

69

Number of aircraft Missing In Action

2

Number of aircraft Damaged Beyond Repair

1

Number of aircraft Damaged

46

Number of people Killed In Action

12

Number of people Wounded in Action

11

Number of people Evaded

2

Number of people Prisoners of War

1

Number of people Returned To Duty

20

Enemy aircraft claimed as Destroyed by Bomber Command

25

Enemy aircraft claimed as Probably Destroyed by Bomber Command

38

Enemy aircraft claimed as Damaged by Bomber Command

44

4. LILLE (Primary)

Description

COMPAGNIE DE FIVES STEEL WORKS

Aircraft type

B-24 Liberator

Notes

The 93rd Bomb Group, flying B-24s, flies its first mission. First 8th Air Force B-24 mission and loss.

Units

Group93rd Bombardment Group (Heavy) was activated 1-March-1942 at Barksdale Field, Louisiana. On 15-May-1942 the Group moved to Ft. Myers, Florida to continue advanced flight training and also to fly anti-submarine patrols over the Gulf of Mexico; they...

Mission Statistics

Tonnage dropped

25.00

Number of aircraft Sent

24

Number of aircraft Effective

10

Number of aircraft Missing In Action

1

Number of aircraft Damaged Beyond Repair

1

Number of people Killed In Action

6

Number of people Wounded in Action

2

Number of people Evaded

1

Number of people Prisoners of War

3

5. ROUBAIX (Opportunistic)

Description

AIRFIELD

Aircraft type

B-17 Flying Fortress

Notes

This is a target of opportunity for 301th Bomb Group.

Units

GroupActivated 3-February-1942 at Geiger Field, Washington and equipped with B-17s. On 27-May-1942 the ground unit moved to Alamogordo Army Air Field, New Mexico, and the aircraft went to Muroc Army Air Field (now Edwards Air Force Base), California for...

Mission Statistics

Tonnage dropped

2.50

Number of aircraft Sent

2

Number of aircraft Effective

2

6. SAINT OMER/ LONGEUNESSE (Last Resort)

Description

AIRFIELD

Aircraft type

B-17 Flying Fortress

Notes

This is a target of last resort for the 92nd Bomb Group.

Units

GroupThe 92nd Group's 327th Bomb Squadron was the only Eighth Air Force squadron to fly YB-40s in combat. YB-40s were B-17s modified to fly as a heavily armed escort for other bombers. They were flown on missions between May and June 1943. Between May 1943...

Mission Statistics

Tonnage dropped

12.00

Number of aircraft Sent

15

Number of aircraft Effective

6

Number of aircraft Missing In Action

1

Number of people Killed In Action

5

Number of people Evaded

1

Number of people Prisoners of War

3

Service

People

Military | Sergeant | Waist Gunner | 301st Bomb GroupWhile serving as a Waist Gunner on B-17F 41-24362 the aircraft was ditched into the English Channel 9 October 1942. Rescued Returned to Duty (RTD) First successful ditching of a B-17 in the ETO.

Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-Pilot | 301st Bomb GroupServed as Co:Pilot of B-17F 41-24362 ditched in Channel 9 October 1942. Rescued and Returned to Duty (RTD) First successful ditching of a B-17 in the ETO.

Military | Sergeant | Ball Turret Gunner | 301st Bomb GroupWhile serving as Ball Turret Gunner on B-17F 41-24362 the aircraft was ditched into the English Channel 9 October 1942. Rescued and Returned to Duty (RTD). First successfull ditching of a B-17 in the ETO

Military | First Lieutenant | Bombardier | 301st Bomb GroupWhile serving as Bombardier on B-17F 41-24362 the aircraft was ditched into the English Channel 9 October 1942. Rescued and Returned to Duty (RTD) First successful ditching of a B-17 in the ETO.

Military | Technical Sergeant | Top Turret Gunner | 93rd Bomb GroupAssigned to 93BG/330BS, B-24 41-23678 "Big Eagle" as the Engineer/Top Turret Gunner. Aircraft was attacked by fighters near Dunkirk on the way to the assigned target Lille I/A, France. With direct hits to engine no. 4 and bomb bay area before crashing...

B-24 LiberatorThis aircraft was assigned to 93BG/330BS. The aircraft had been despatched from Alconbury to participate in the attack on aircraft plants at Lille, France The aircraft was attacked on the way to the target by a German fighter near Dunkirk and crashed...

Lee Cunningham, 8th Air Force missions research database / Stan Bishop's 'Losses of the US 8th and 9th Air Forces', the Combat Chronology of the US Army Air Forces and the work of Roger Freeman including the 'Mighty Eighth War Diary'.